Compare the2025 Honda OdysseyVS 2025 Kia Carnival

The Honda Odyssey has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Carnival doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Odyssey deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Odyssey’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Carnival’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Odyssey has a standard Whiplash Mitigation Front Seat Design, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Mitigation Front Seat Design system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Carnival doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Odyssey is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Carnival, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Odyssey and the Carnival have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Odyssey is much safer than the Carnival:

The Honda Odyssey achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Carnival is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The Odyssey’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Carnival runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 35 percent more Honda dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Odyssey’s warranty.

The engine in the Odyssey has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engines in the Carnival have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 5 places higher in reliability than Kia.

The Odyssey’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 38 more horsepower (280 vs. 242) than the Carnival’s optional 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Odyssey’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (262 vs. 260) than the Carnival’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Odyssey is faster than the Kia Carnival V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Odyssey gets better fuel mileage than the Carnival 3.5 DOHC V6 (19 city/28 hwy vs. 18 city/26 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Odyssey’s fuel efficiency. The Carnival doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Odyssey has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Carnival doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Odyssey, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Carnival.

The Odyssey stops much shorter than the Carnival:

The Odyssey EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Carnival LX/LXS’ standard 65 series tires.

For better load carrying, ride, handling and brake cooling the Odyssey EX-L has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Carnival LX/LXS.

The Odyssey has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Carnival doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Odyssey uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Carnival doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Odyssey has .4 inches more rear legroom, 2.5 inches more third row legroom and .5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Carnival.

The Odyssey’s cargo area provides more volume than the Carnival.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Odyssey. The Carnival doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Odyssey’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Carnival’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Odyssey the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Carnival can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Odyssey’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Carnival offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Odyssey Touring/Elite has a standard center folding armrest for the third row rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and can provide a barrier between children. The Carnival doesn’t offer a third row rear seat center armrest.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Odyssey has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Carnival EX/SX/Prestige offers wireless charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Odyssey owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Odyssey will cost $330 to $2675 less than the Carnival over a five-year period.

The Odyssey will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Odyssey will retain 54.9% to 58.5% of its original price after five years, while the Carnival only retains 49.23% to 49.86%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Odyssey will be $413 to $5135 less than for the Kia Carnival.

The Honda Odyssey has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

The Honda Odyssey outsold the Kia Carnival by 71% during 2023.